Wankhede Stadium for Mumbai on Sunday night, na pure fire wey dey burn. Royal Challengers Bengaluru come with one mission: scatter the Mumbai Indians bowlers. And scatter dem dem do. From the first ball, the story don dey write.
Hardik Pandya win toss, choose to bowl first. Him talk say dew go dey later, and chasing dey better for Wankhede. But RCB openers, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli, no gree hear word. Trent Boult bowl first over, Kohli flick one for six. Salt follow with boundary. Dem start with 13 runs. The tone set.
Hardik Pandya try to tighten things, but Salt dey ready. The Englishman no dey look back. When Mitchell Santner come bowl the fourth over, Salt turn am to playground. Three sixes back-to-back, one boundary. 22 runs for that over alone. The crowd dey shock. MI bowlers dey scratch head.
Powerplay end, RCB don already make 71 runs. No wicket fall. Salt dey on fire, Kohli dey anchor. Jasprit Bumrah try him best, but the two batters dey in control. Salt reach fifty for just 25 balls. Him first half-century for this IPL 2026 season. Him celebration simple, but the message clear: RCB mean business.
After powerplay, the onslaught continue. Mayank Markande come, Salt punish am. 20 runs from that over. RCB cross 100 inside 9 overs. Mumbai Indians dey search for wicket like person wey lose key for house. The partnership dey grow, 120 runs for the first wicket. Shardul Thakur finally break through. Salt try to drive one wide yorker, but catch go to extra cover. Him out for 78 from 36 balls. Sensational knock.
But the relief for MI short. Rajat Patidar, the RCB captain, walk in. And him no come play. Patidar start with boundary from first ball. Then him face Mayank Markande again. Three sixes for one over. Reverse sweep, straight hit, pull shot. Carnage. Patidar racing to fifty. Him reach am in just 17 balls. Joint fastest fifty by captain for IPL history.
Virat Kohli at the other end, him dey steady. Him reach own fifty from 37 balls. But him no celebrate. Kohli know say the rate need to dey higher. Hardik Pandya sense opportunity. Him bowl full toss, Kohli try to go big, mistime, catch go to long-on. Kohli out for 50. Him walk off with frustration.
Patidar continue the assault. But Mitchell Santner, after earlier punishment, make comeback. Him bowl tight line. Patidar try another big hit, but timing no dey. Catch go to long-on. Patidar out for 53 from 20 balls. Him knock don already do damage.
By the time 16 overs don pass, RCB don already make 194 for 3 wickets. Tim David and Jitesh Sharma dey the crease. The platform set for final explosion. Mumbai Indians bowlers dey suffer. Bumrah no get wicket yet. Boult economy high. Spinners dey scattered.
The match dey happen on April 12, 2026. Wankhede dey witness batting paradise. Earlier, both teams observe one minute silence for Asha Bhonsle, the legendary playback singer wey pass away same day. The tribute add emotional layer to the high-octane clash.
For team changes, MI bring Mitchell Santner and Mayank Markande. RCB drop Josh Hazlewood, bring Jacob Duffy. The pitch report talk say batting belter. And the batters don confirm am. Last game for Wankhede, MI chase 221. Today, RCB dey set for even bigger total.
As the innings dey enter final overs, the question dey: can MI bowlers limit the damage? Or RCB go post total wey go pass 250? The Wankhede crowd dey see batting masterclass. Salt aggression, Patidar fury, Kohli anchoring. MI dey search for answers. The match dey live on Star Sports and JioHotstar. But for ground, the story dey write by RCB batters.
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